Fastening device



Dec. 31, 1963 c. GOODRIDGE FASTENING DEVICE Filed March 8, 1962 '//vVENTOR. LAWRENCE C. Gown/0 GE,

ATTORNE).

United States Patent 3,116,081 FASTENENG DEVlCE Lawrence C. Goodridge,Bristol, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation ofNew York Filed Mar. 8, 1962, filer. No. 178,437 Claims. (Cl. 292--2.12)

This invention relates to fastening devices and particularly to a devicemounted on a cover for fastening the cover to a receptacle or housing.

Many installations, such as panels boards, include a cover which is tobe attached to a receptacle or housing by fastening means arranged to betightened and released at the will of an operator to permit attachmentand removal of the cover relative to the housing. It is desirable thatthe fastening device employed for such purpose be comprised of a minimumnumber of inexpensive parts which are capable of rapid assembly to thecover without requiring special knowledge and tools and, when onceassembled, are captively mounted on the cover. Such a fastening deviceshould also be capable of effecting a very positive clamp between thecover and the housing by a simple actuation of the actuatable part ofthe fastener from the front of the cover. It is further desirable thatprovision be made for indicating to an operator the condition of thefastener, that is whether or not the fastener is in a tightened orreleased condition. Although a wide variety of fasteners have heretoforebeen proposed, such fasteners have lacked one or more of theabove-described desirable features.

It is accordingly 2. primary object of the invention to provide a noveland improved fastener comprised of a minimum number of inexpensive partswhich are readily assembled to a cover or the like, without specialknowledge and tools and which, when assembled, are thereafter heldcaptive to the cover.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedfastener for mounting on a cover or the like which incorporates a clampfor positioning at the inside of the cover with means for effectingrotation of the clamp between operative and inoperative positions by asi iple actuation of a portion of the fastener from a position outsideof the cover.

it is a further object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedfastener for mounting on a cover or the like including a clamp at theinside of the cover rotatable between operative and inoperativepositions from a position external to the cover and having means forindicating to an operator the position or" the clamp.

it is still another object of the invention to provide a novel andimproved fastener for mounting on a cover or the like incorporating aminimum number of inexpensive parts which are readily assembled to thecover without the requirement of special tools and including a clamp onthe inside of the cover rotatable through a quarter turn from outsidethe cover between operative and inoperative positions.

In carrying out the invention in one preferred form, a fastener isprovided for mounting on a cover or the like and includes a collar atthe outside of the cover having a projection extending through aspecially shaped opening of the cover into snap fit engagement with asupport at the inside of the cover. The support detachably "ice mounts aclamp in such a manner that the clamp is rotatable with the support inresponse to rotation of the collar about its axis, and is also movabletowards and away from the cover in response to rotation of a screw whichextends through the collar and through its projection into threadedengagement with a not held captive by the clamp. The collar is rotatablethrough a quarter turn between two positions wherein the clamp isrespectively adjacent to and displaced from a support or flange to whichthe cover is to be attached. Rotation Otf the collar between suchpositions is limited by engagement of the collar projection with wallsof the specially shaped opening of the cover. The collar includesmarkings viewable by an operator to indicate the rotary position of theclamp.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe folio-wing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation with parts broken away of a. coveror the like showing the fastener of the present invention mountedthereon;

FlG. 2 is a view with parts shown in section taken along the line 22 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation with parts broken away of the covershowing parts of the fastener at the inside thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of a collar employed in the fastener ofFIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a support comprising a part of thefastener of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

Referring now to the drawings there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a fastenerrepresented generally by the numeral it mounted upon a cover or panelfront 11 adapted to be attached to a support or flange 12 shown in FIGS.2 and 3 and which comprises part of a housing or enclosure. In general,the fastener of the present invention includes a collar 13 at theoutside of the cover ll adapted for loose extension through a speciallyshaped opening 14 of the cover into snap-in engagement with a support 5at the inside of the cover which detachably mounts a clamp 16 which isrotatable with the collar about the axis of the collar and which isadjustable toward-s and away from the cover by actuation of an adjustingmeans 17.

More specifically, the collar 13 includes a head 18 adjacent the outersurface of the cover ll and a hollow projection 19 which contains apassage 2t) and which is of generally elliptical cross section as bestshown in FlG. 1. The projection 19 is adapted for loose extensionthrough the opening '14 into snap-in engagement with an aperture 22formed in the support 15 and of generally elliptical configurationconforming to the cross section configuration of the projection 19. Theprojection 19 includes adjacent its outer end a pair of opposedresilient ribs 21 struck out from the more widely-spaced sides of theprojection 19 as best shown in H6. 5. The aperture 22 is formed in onesection 23 of the L-shaped support l5 which also includes a section 24bent at right angles to the section 23. An opening 26 is formed in thesupport 15 and includes portions in each of the sections 23, 24 as bestshown in FIG. 6.

The opening 26 of the support 15 receives a pair of bearing hooks 27 ofthe clamp 16 formed at the ends of spaced generally parallel legs 23connected by a curved web 29 which includes a clamping extension 3%}adapted to clanipingly engage the flange 12 of the enclosure. With thearrangement thus far described the collar 13, the support 15, and theclamp 16 are connected together so that rotation of the collar 13relative to the cover about its axis effects corresponding rotation ofthe support 15 and the clamp 16. Thus, the clamping extension 36 of theclamp 16 may be rotated between an operative position wherein the clampis adjacent the flange 12 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; and an inoperativeposition wherein the clamp is angularly displaced from the flange 12 inresponse to rotation of the collar I13.

The adjusting means 17 is provided for the purpose of permittingadjustment of the clamp 16 and the clamping extension 3% towards andaway from the cover ill to permit clamping and unclarnping of the cover11 to the flange 12. As best shown in FIG. 2, the adjusting means 17includes a nut 31 which is held captive within a pair of alignedopenings 3?. formed in the spaced legs 23 of the clamp 16. The nut 32 isadapted to threadably receive the threaded end of a screw 33 whichextends loosely through the passage 29 of the collar 13 and whichincludes a slotted head portion 3 3 abutting the outer surface of thecollar 13 whereby rotation of the screw 33 relative to the collar 13 isreadily effected by an operator from a position outside the cover.Inasmuch as the nut 32 is held against substantial movement, rotation ofthe screw 33 is effective to displace the nut 32 and the clamp 16axially of the screw towards and away from the cover 11 in verticaldirections as viewed in FIG. 2. As the screw is rotated in a directionto draw the clamp 16 toward the cover, the hooks 27 will pivot and slideagainst the back surface of the cover so that the screw will remain at aright angle to the cover. Further details of the clamp and screwarrangement may be found in U.S. Patent No. 2,501,722.

As previously described the clamp 16 may be rotated between two spacedpositions in response to rotation of the collar 13. Such rotation of theclamp 116 is effected by gripping diametrically opposed extensions 35 onthe collar and is limited by engagement of the projection 19 of thecollar with walls of the opening 14 of the cover 11. Preferably,rotation of the clamp 16 is limited to an angle of approximately ninetydegrees or a quarter turn and to this end the opening 14 includes wallportions 36 configured to engage the outer surface of the projection 19to establish a first position of the clamp 16 shown in FIG. 2 whereinthe clamp is positioned for clamping engagement with the flange 12. Theclamp 16 may be rotated from the position just described by effectingcounterclockwise rotation of the collar as viewed in FIG. 1 through anangle of the order of ninety degrees until the projection engages wallportions 37 of the opening 14 whereby the clamp '16 assumes avertically-extending position so that the clamping extension 36 isangularly displaced from the flange 12. The angular position of theclamp is indicated to an operator by the location of the extensions 35.

To assemble the fastener the support 15 is centered inside the coverover the opening 14 and the collar 13 is positioned at the outside ofthe cover and the projection .19 thereof is extended through the opening14 into snap-in engagement with the aperture 22. formed in the support15. The clamp 16 is next hooked through the opening 236 of the support15 and the nut 31 is then positioned within the openings 32. Finally,the screw 33 is extended through the collar and its projection intothreaded engagement with the nut 32. The fastener is thus permanentlymounted upon the cover 11 and cannot be removed therefrom except byforcible methods. This is for the reason that the resilient ribs 21assume their normal struck out condition after the projection 19 issnapped into the aperture 22, and the ribs 21 therefore projectoutwardly to prevent withdrawal of the collar from the aperture 22.

'It is seen that the fastener of the present invention is readilyassembled in the field without special knowledge and tools and iscaptively mounted on the cover.

While I have shown and described a p rticular embodiment of myinvention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made without departing from myinvention in its broader aspects and I, therefore, intend in theappended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A fastening device for a cover WhlCh has an opening, said devicecomprising a support to be positioned on the inside of the cover andhaving an aperture, a collar to be positioned on the outside of thecover and having a projection for loose extension through the opening ofthe cover into locking engagement with the aperture of the support, saidcollar being manually rotatable from outside said cover about its axisto effect rotation of said support and having a marking viewable fromoutside the cover to indicate the rotary position of the support, aclamp to be detachably mounted by the support for rotation therewith andfor movement relative thereto towards and away from the cover, said clamhaving a clamping part engageable with a member to which the cover is tobe attached, and adjusting means including a nut to be held captive bysaid clamp, and a screw adapted to extend loosely through the collarinto threaded engagement with the nut for rotation relative to thecollar for adjusting the clamp and its clamping part towards and awayfrom the cover, the opening of the cover having a wall configured toengage the projection of the collar to limit rota-tion of the collarthrough an angle of the order of ninety degrees.

2. A fastening device for a cover which has an opening, said devicecomprising a support to be positioned on the inside of the cover andhaving an aperture of generally elliptical configuration, a collar to bepositioned on the outside of the cover and having a hollow projectionwith a generally elliptical cross-section conforming to theconfiguration of the aperture of the support, said projection havingadjacent its end resilient tabs at opposed sides thereof, saidprojection being adapted to extend loosely through the opening of thecover into snap-in engagement with the aperture of the support with thetabs locking the support to the collar, said collar being rotatableabout its axis to effect rotation of said support and having a markingviewable from outside the cover to indicate the rotary position of thesupport, a clamp to be detachably mounted by the support for rotationtherewith and for movement relative thereto towards and away from thecover, said clamp having a clamping part engageable with a member towhich the cover is to be attached, and adjusting means including anactuatable part adapted to extend loosely through the collar and itsprojection for adjusting the clamp and its clamping part towards andaway from the cover.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the opening of the cover andthe projection of the collar are configured so as to limit rotation ofthe collar through an angle of the order of ninety degrees.

4. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the adjusting means includes anut to be held captive by the clamp, said actuatable part comprising ascrew to be threaded into said nut.

5. A fastening device for a cover which has an opening, said devicecomprising a support to be positioned on the inside of the cover andhaving an aperture of generally elliptical configuration, a collar to bepositioned on the outside of the cover and having a hollow projectionwith a generally elliptical cross-section conforming to theconfiguration of the aperture of the support, said projection havingadjacent its end resilient tabs at opposed sides thereof, saidprojection being adapted to extend loosely through the opening of thecover into snap-in engagement with the aperture of the support with thetabs locking the support to the collar, said collar being rotatableabout its axis to effect rotation of said support and having a markingviewable from outside the cover to indicate the rotary position of thesupport, a clamp to be detachably mounted by the support for rotationtherewith and for movement relative thereto towards and away from thecover, said clamp having a clamping part engageable with a member towhich the cover is to be attached, a nut to be held captive by theclamp, and a screw adapted for loose extension through the collar andits projection into 6 threaded engagement with the nut, the opening ofthe cover having a wall configured to engage the sides of the projectionand limit rotation of the collar through an angle of the order of ninetydegrees.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,501,722 Hammerly et al Mar. 28, 1950 2,860,904 Barry et al. Nov. 18,1958 3,023,041 Pluylaar Feb. 27, 1962 3,065,012 Trotter Nov. 20, 1962

1. A FASTENING DEVICE FOR A COVER WHICH HAS AN OPENING, SAID DEVICECOMPRISING A SUPPORT TO BE POSITIONED ON THE INSIDE OF THE COVER ANDHAVING AN APERTURE, A COLLAR TO BE POSITIONED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THECOVER AND HAVING A PROJECTION FOR LOOSE EXTENSION THROUGH THE OPENING OFTHE COVER INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE APERTURE OF THE SUPPORT, SAIDCOLLAR BEING MANUALLY ROTATABLE FROM OUTSIDE SAID COVER ABOUT ITS AXISTO EFFECT ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING A MARKING VIEWABLE FROMOUTSIDE THE COVER TO INDICATE THE ROTARY POSITION OF THE SUPPORT, ACLAMP TO BE DETACHABLY MOUNTED BY THE SUPPORT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH ANDFOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE COVER, SAIDCLAMP HAVING A CLAMPING PART ENGAGEABLE WITH A MEMBER TO WHICH THE COVERIS TO BE ATTACHED, AND ADJUSTING MEANS INCLUDING A NUT TO BE HELDCAPTIVE BY SAID CLAMP, AND A SCREW ADAPTED TO